"I like the true crime podcasts that are attempting to help people find answers; this podcast is not that," one listener wrote in the Pod Paradise reviews, noting that the podcast should not be classified under the true crime genre. "Definitely an intriguing and creepy plot. Had they been honest up front that it's a made up story, I would have been less irritated with how scripted it felt before I realized it WAS actually scripted."

On reddit, listeners didn't hold back at voicing their discontent. "Personally I thought it was the vilest thing I've ever heard in podcast form, unethical and immoral at most, in very bad taste at the very least," one person wrote. 

Another added, "The fact that they tried to claim it was true, the website they built has a tip line of sorts at the bottom. The post claiming it was real. The "in respect of the victims" in the podcast notes. All so gross. Payne Lindsey said on Twitter it was fake. This whole thing is disgusting, and so dismissive of actual victims and their families."

Most agreed that they just wanted transparency and would have given this podcast a listen if it hadn't been trying to pass for something it wasn't. "Given that podcasts are used for all kinds of content both fiction and non-fiction, I think the creators need to be open about what they're making," a redditor noted. 

"While people need to evaluate what they are hearing I don’t think you do yourselves any favors by lying to your audience," they continued.

Do you think The Heads of Sierra Blanca should have been more forthcoming and transparent?